Autoimmune Conditions

"Tunick was experiencing the first of many episodes in which her muscles seized up painfully, a rare neurological condition known as Stiff Person Syndrome (SPS). Though the cause is unknown, SPS has features of an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks itself, setting off, in this case, muscle spasms."

"And because the syndrome is so rare, it is often mistaken for a variety of musculoskeletal conditions, including Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, fibromyalgia or something of a psychosomatic nature." 10-09

"The results support the thinking that we humans have coevolved with our microbes--and we're probably not the same without them. 'The selection of partners is not by chance,' Chang says. And that might explain why as we alter our microbiomes--with antibiotics and superclean upbringings--our immune systems have been changing as well, ushering in increasing rates of autoimmune conditions such as allergies and diabetes. 'The consequence is that the balance between us and our microbes, determined through evolution, is upset in ways that impact our health and increase risk for many diseases that were previously uncommon,' he notes." 06-12